


Walk-In Freezer

by TheVagabondBoy



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky is weird, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-25 13:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15642087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheVagabondBoy/pseuds/TheVagabondBoy
Summary: Bucky had an odd habit.





	Walk-In Freezer

**Author's Note:**

> based on a [text post](http://explodingcrenelation.tumblr.com/post/167459567478/the-avengers-frequently-lose-bucky-after-he) made by [explodingcrenelation](http://explodingcrenelation.tumblr.com)
> 
> thank the stucky au bang slack

Bucky had an odd habit.

Well, that was almost a little  _ too _ general. Bucky had a lot of weird habits. He rather slept  _ under _ his bed, than  _ on _ it, claiming sleeping under it pressed against the wall made him feel safe. He picked at his skin almost until he bled, anyone in the vicinity had to slap his hands away (despite having to endure Bucky’s  _ Murder Glare _ afterwards), but at least he didn’t go through on the threats he muttered under his breath at them. When stressed or anxious, he braided, untangled, brained, untangled, braided, and untangled his hair over and over again. And that was just the start of it.

Yes, those habits were odd, but there was one that was...odd-er than the rest.

He disappeared.

He just  _ disappeared. _

He just dropped off the map! And while it worried them the first few times, he came back after a couple hours, refreshed and relaxed. Disappearing for a few hours at a time seemed like it did him good so after some discussion amongst the team (sans Bucky), they decided to not intervene. Until the disappearing act turned into  _ days _ instead of  _ hours, _ they’d let him have his secret.

While Steve was still worried whenever Bucky disappeared, he was happy Bucky had found a place to go where he felt safe. He was a little sad that Bucky hadn’t let Steve in on the secret, he’d hoped Bucky felt he could talk to Steve about anything, but Steve put Bucky’s health above his own concern. When Bucky felt ready to tell, Steve would listen.

*

Bucky enjoyed the kitchen’s walk-in freezer. He supposed they needed a freezer that big to feed the seemingly ever-growing, ever-hungry team of Avengers.

At first he’d only gone in there to reorganize it like the rest of the kitchen. He’d spent an hour in there, sorting through frozen goods, before he realized how calm he felt.

It was surprising.

He usually didn’t like even the  _ thought _ of the cold, and yet the freezer was calming. Compared to HYDRA’s cryo-freezers, this freezer was a breeze. He barely felt the cold there; at least not for the first five or six hours. After that he could feel it getting a little nippy, but until that point, he actually quite enjoyed it.

The cold was soothing. It eased the ache in his muscles and the smooth humming of the freezer was a satisfying white-noise. It helped him think. It was his refuge.

When things got loud and messy in his head, he just locked himself in the freezer for a while and breathed in the cold air and let his head settle itself again. The fact that he got first pick at every new bulk order of ice cream was a good plus. Usually he picked out all his favourites from the bulk and nestled them away where no one would find them.

These days he had a secret stash of stuff in a box in the far back. He’d put away all sorts of good stuff to pass the time with. He even had a yoga matt! Not that he used it for yoga; he just rolled it out on the floor and took naps on it, avoiding laying right on the frosty metal.

*

Sam was in the mood for a snack and he damn well deserved one. He just ran twenty miles on a treadmill with Captain America on the treadmill next to him. Sam deserved  _ a lot _ for not trying to break Steve’s damn neck for his whole  _ slew _ of ‘on your left’ jokes.

The kitchen was empty and quiet. Sam downed a few glasses of water to start with, cursing the Rogers line as he did.

He rifled through the fridge for anything good. Hm, maybe some left over Chinese food? Or the pasta thing Bruce made a couple days ago? Nothing good there. He wanted something sweet. Poptarts maybe? He checked the pantry.  _ Of course, _ there were none left. And  _ someone _ left the empty fucking box in the pantry! Christ, what a bunch of savages. He tossed the box in the trash.

Oh, they had chocolate sauce! And mini-marshmallows! Oh,  _ yes, _ he could throw together a quick banana split! He snatched up the bananas from the fruit bowl, grabbed the chocolate sauce and the marshmallows, then found himself a good bowl and a spoon and an ice cream scooper.

He opened the freezer to find the ice cream.

He stopped dead on the threshold.

_ What the fuck? _

Sam closed the door again. Where was Steve? Steve had to see this.

*

“Will you just  _ tell me _ what’s up?” Steve asked.

“Trust me, man, ya wouldn’t believe me if I told ya. Better if you see if for yourself.”

Steve sighed but went along with him. Sam lead him to the kitchen and to the freezer. He gestured to the freezer door.

“What?” Steve said.

Sam shook his head. “Just open it.”

The soldier rolled his eyes, but did as he was asked. He threw open the door and took a step inside.

Bucky sat on a box, frost and icicles just starting to form in his hair and on his clothes, with an ice cream sandwich in one hand and a game of solitaire in front of him on another box.

“Hey.” Bucky said, not seeming to mind that his moment was being interrupted. “What’s up?”

“I... What?” Steve stuttered. “What’re you doin’ here?”

Bucky shrugged. “Just chillin’.”

Steve nodded, dumbfound. He stepped further into the freezer, pulled up a box, and sat down opposite Bucky.

“You...wanna play gin? Or you wanna be alone?”

Bucky shrugged again. “Shuffle up and deal, Rogers.”


End file.
